


Next-Door Neighbors

by wackyjacqs



Series: Bizarre Holidays [80]
Category: Stargate SG-1
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-20
Updated: 2019-03-20
Packaged: 2019-11-26 15:00:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 624
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18182129
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wackyjacqs/pseuds/wackyjacqs
Summary: He lands on the floor with a grunt, but he refuses to cry out and give his captors – or his team – any indication as to how much pain he’s actually in.





	Next-Door Neighbors

**Author's Note:**

> Written for ‘Won’t You Be My Neighbor Day’ (20 March). Set early season 7.

He lands on the floor with a grunt, but he refuses to cry out and give his captors – or his team – any indication as to how much pain he’s actually in.

He waits until he hears the metal bars slam closed and the footsteps disappear before he slowly rolls himself into a sitting position. He curses softly while his teammates simultaneously ask if he’s alright.

“I’m fine,” he says, brushing off their concern, even though all four of them know he’s lying.

The Jaffa they encountered are in service to Ba’al and while the snakehead has yet to make an appearance himself, it appears he’s happy to give his minions a head-start on the interrogations.

Jack closes his eyes and wonders if he’ll make it over to the bench on the far side of his cell. Usually, Teal’c, or Carter, or even Daniel, would offer a helping hand but the Jaffa seemingly had the foresight to keep them separated, each of them having their own tiny recess. Yet all four of the cells join together to make one larger cube, so even though they aren’t sharing the same space, they still see everything.

“Any luck finding a way out of here?”

“No, sir.”

“We’ll keep looking Jack,” Daniel adds.

He nods absently.

“You should rest, O’Neill.”

He spares a look at Teal’c, who dips his head and silently confirms he’ll keep watch in the meantime.

“Yeah,” he finally mutters, before he turns and gingerly moves towards the bench.

Jack is the only one to have been selected for “questioning” so far, and whilst he isn’t keen to repeat the experience, he doesn’t want any of his team to undergo the ordeal either.

As he sits down and swings his legs onto the bench, he knows his left knee has been blown out again, and he reckons that the blood he coughed up moments earlier in the corridor is a result of a broken rib or two, as opposed to a split lip. The chest pain and difficulty he’s having breathing all-but-confirm his suspicions. He doesn’t realize his eyes have slipped closed until he feels someone moving nearby. He jumps and curses softly at the pain the movement causes.

“Easy, sir,” he hears Sam whisper moments before she appears to his left, albeit on the other side of the bars.

She slides onto her own bench and faces him as she mirrors his position and he feels himself relax slightly, knowing that she’s instinctively watching his back for any threats.

Her eyes roam over his face and body, looking for the injuries he’s hiding from her, and when he catches sight of her frowning, he mumbles, “How bad?”

“Split brow, busted lip and a black eye to round out the look,” she says softly.

“Hmm.”

“What else?”

He turns his head slightly to look at her.

“What did they do to you, sir?”

“I’ve faced worse than this, Carter. It’s fine.”

“Sir –”

_“Sam,”_ he replies firmly, but quietly. “Let’s just find a way out of here, OK?”

He waits as she gives him another onceover. “Knee?”

“Yeah,” he sighs, knowing she isn’t going to give up until she gets an answer. “And possibly the ribs.”

“Broken?”

“Yeah.”

He hears her curse, but before he can tell her not to worry, he feels something warm cover his hand. He looks down to see Sam has snaked her left hand in between two of the bars. The touch brings him comfort he didn’t realize he needed and without thinking, he twists his fingers to entwine hers with his and gives them a light squeeze.

She rests her head against one of the metal bars and holds his gaze. “Get some rest,” she whispers. “We’ll be home soon.”

**Author's Note:**

> Sam and Jack can be neighbors in a prison cell, right?


End file.
